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Don't Trash Maryland

BRING THE BOTTLE BILL TO MARYLAND — Maryland PIRG volunteers cleanup the Bladensburg Waterfront to demonstrate the need for a Maryland Bottle Bill to increase recycling and reduce waste.

The Bottle Bill Works

TO REDUCE LITTER

Our neighborhoods and waterways are littered with bottles and cans and at the same time our recycling rate is less than the national average. Marylanders throw away 3 billion recyclable beverage containers a year! We’re working to pass a 5-cent redeemable deposit on beverage containers to increase recycling and reduce litter.

TO INCREASE RECYCLING

The bottle bill is one of the nation’s most successful recycling programs. The ten states with Bottle Bills have an average container recycling rate of 60% and have seen serious reductions in litter.

FOR MARYLAND

By uniting the public, and putting our experts and advocates in the hearing rooms and offices where key decisions are being made, we can pass a Bottle Bill in Maryland. With your support we can pass this common sense law to increase recycling, reduce waste, and prevent litter.

Issue updates

BALTIMORE -- Dozens of people gathered at the Baltimore Inner Harbor on Earth Day to congratulate the state General Assembly for passing the first statewide foam ban in the nation and call on Gov. Larry Hogan to sign the legislation into law.

More than 10,000 Americans said "no" to plastic straws in February. Feb. 22 marked the third annual national Skip the Straw Day—a day created by Michigan middle school students who were fed up with plastic pollution and its impact on wildlife and the planet.

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BALTIMORE -- Dozens of people gathered at the Baltimore Inner Harbor on Earth Day to congratulate the state General Assembly for passing the first statewide foam ban in the nation and call on Gov. Larry Hogan to sign the legislation into law.

Governor O’Malley’s Zero Waste Plan is a big step in the right direction, and we applaud the Administration for putting together this exciting plan, but Maryland PIRG is very disappointed to see the inclusion of trash incineration in the plan.

Maryland PIRG is delivering petitions urging Gov. Martin O'Malley to support a measure to create a 5-cent redeemable bottle deposit. Supporters said they will be delivering 7,000 signatures to the Maryland State House on Monday.

More than 10,000 Americans said "no" to plastic straws in February. Feb. 22 marked the third annual national Skip the Straw Day—a day created by Michigan middle school students who were fed up with plastic pollution and its impact on wildlife and the planet.

More than 10,000 Americans said "no" to plastic straws in February. Feb. 22 marked the third annual national Skip the Straw Day—a day created by Michigan middle school students who were fed up with plastic pollution and its impact on wildlife and the planet.

BALTIMORE -- Dozens of people gathered at the Baltimore Inner Harbor on Earth Day to congratulate the state General Assembly for passing the first statewide foam ban in the nation and call on Gov. Larry Hogan to sign the legislation into law.

More than 10,000 Americans said "no" to plastic straws in February. Feb. 22 marked the third annual national Skip the Straw Day—a day created by Michigan middle school students who were fed up with plastic pollution and its impact on wildlife and the planet.

Nothing we use for a few minutes should threaten our health and pollute our future for hundreds of years. One of the best ways to reduce the amount of trash headed to landfills is to ban items such as plastic foam cups and takeout containers.